Volunteer Grants 2012 overview
There was a very strong response from community organisations across Australia to the Volunteer Grants 2012 call for applications with more than 12,000 applications received. A total of 4,800 organisations were successful in receiving funding which will assist more than 166,000 volunteers across Australia.
The standard of applications was high overall, making the selection process very competitive. All applications received were assessed against the selection criteria outlined in the Volunteer Grants 2012 Application Guidelines.
General feedback to assist organisations when applying for future funding is provided below.
Other funding options can be sourced at:
If you have any further queries, please contact the Volunteer Grants 2012 Hotline on 1800 183 374 (9am to 5pm AEST, Monday to Friday), TTY: 1800 555 677, or via email to vg2012@fahcsia.gov.au.
General feedback for future Volunteer Grants applications
These tips provide guidance in completing applications for Volunteer Grants funding.
- It is important to read all available information provided about Volunteer Grants when applying for funding, especially the Application Guidelines. The Application Guidelines are specific to each funding round and provide information on the intent and purpose of the program that will help organisations apply for grant funding.
- The Volunteer Grants Application Guidelines also include helpful information about the Application Form and provide details on each relevant section, including guidance on answering each question. The Application Guidelines also provide important information on the selection criteria.
- Organisations are encouraged to check their completed Application Form to ensure that all questions are answered. It is vital to check that no technical glitch has occurred during the data entry process to ensure that all answers to questions have been entered and saved into the Application Form. Answers to questions are often left blank in the transposing of information into the Application Form before forwarding to Volunteer Grants for assessment. Lack of information will impact on the assessment of the application.
- It is important to note that Volunteer Grants is a very competitive community-based funding opportunity and meeting the selection criteria does not necessarily guarantee success.
- Organisations need to clearly establish their legal entity status to ensure that they have the required legal standing to apply for Volunteer Grants. Organisations are encouraged to seek information on their legal entity status from their finance officer or accountant. Further information on legal entity type is outlined in the Application Guidelines.
- Organisations are required to be legal entities in order to enter into a Funding Agreement with the Department (if successful). Organisations that are not legal entities in their own right are required to seek an eligible sponsor organisation that meets the requirements of the Volunteer Grants Application Guidelines, including the necessary legal status to enter into a Funding Agreement with the Department.
- Applications must be completed correctly. The Volunteer Grants Hotline is available to assist organisations in applying for funding.
- Items requested are required to meet the eligibility criteria of Volunteer Grants. The description of items needs to be stated clearly and accurately. The total cost of the requested item/s influences the rating of the application, as noted in the Application Guidelines.
- The minimum and maximum funding limits need to be strictly adhered to when applying for Volunteer Grants funding.
- Please ensure written answers are accurate, clear and within the specified word limits. Any text provided in excess of the prescribed limit may not be taken into account.
- Organisations are advised to prepare early and allow plenty of time to meet the application closing date. Please note that it is the responsibility of the organisation to ensure its application is received by the Department by the specified closing date and time.
- Organisations can seek individual feedback on their application for a period of 30 days from the date of notification from the Department advising of the outcome of the application. Feedback can be sought by contacting the Volunteer Grants Hotline on 1800 183 374 or emailing a request to vg2012@fahcsia.gov.au.